By actual sin (peccatum actuals) we understand all lawlessness (ἀνομία) which is done, or committed. It thus stands in contradistinction to that avo,uia which all men inherit from their parents through their sinful birth (quae in omnes homines per carnalem generationem derivatur) and on account of which they are condemned as sinners (imputatio peccati Adamitici: corruptio hereditaria), even when they have not yet broken the divine Law through transgression of individual commandments, Rom. 5, 19. Or, more briefly described: "Actual transgression is every act, whether external or internal, which conflicts with the Law of God." Hutter.1 Luther very fittingly calls original sin "person sin," "nature sin," or "essential sin," because it is "not a sin which is committed," but one which "inheres in the nature, substance, and essence of man, so that, though no wicked thought ever should arise in the heart of corrupt man, no idle word were spoken, no wicked deed were done, yet the nature is nevertheless corrupted through original sin." (Formula of Concord, Epit., I, 21.) Actual sins are divided into sins of commission and omission, that is, sins which occur by doing (agendo) what the divine Law prohibits or by omitting (omittendo) what the divine Law commands. For this reason Hollaz defines actual sin thus: "Actual sin is a turning away, by a human act either of commission or omission, from the rule of the divine Law, incurring responsibility for guilt (reatus culpae) and liability to punishment (reatus poenae)." Doctr. Theol., p. 252.
The omission of the good which the Law demands is an actual sin, because it is prompted by hatred against God, love of evil, and wilful neglect of duty in opposition to conscience, Rom. 1, 32; Luke 12, 47. 48. To actual sins belong also all evil thoughts and desires with regard to both doctrine and life, Matt. 5, 28 ; Gen. 20, 9; Matt. 15, 19; Rom. 7, 7. In Holy Scripture actual sins are called "works of the flesh," Gal. 5, 19; "unfruitful works of darkness," Eph. 5, 11; "deeds of the old man," Col. 3, 9; "dead works," Heb. 6, 1; 9, 14; "unlawful deeds," 2 Pet. 2, 8, all of which expressions characterize these sins with respect to their nature and source.- Our Lutheran Catechism aptly defines actual sin as "every transgression of the divine Law in desires, thoughts, words, and deeds." We recommend this definition as one that is clear, simple, and eminently practical.